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A federal judge has ordered the Trump administration to immediately stop airing taxpayer-funded ads that promote President Donald Trump. The ruling came on Sunday (October 11) after a lawsuit from the watchdog group Common Cause and others, according to Politico. The ads, which have been criticized as political propaganda, were funded through the Department of Homeland Security's budget.
U.S. District Judge Jennifer Rochon issued a temporary restraining order, barring the administration from continuing the $20 million ad campaign, which was set to run through Sunday night. The ads, nearly identical to Trump’s 2024 campaign ads, were criticized for using taxpayer money, which could be illegal, NBC News reports.
Despite the administration's claim that they planned to stop the ads after Sunday, Judge Rochon ruled that the issue was not moot and emphasized the need for an injunction to prevent further use of taxpayer dollars for political purposes. The ads have been running on major networks, including Fox, CNN, and ABC, aiming to bolster support among Republican voters ahead of the midterm elections.
The lawsuit against the ads was filed by Common Cause, the Democratic National Committee, and other groups. They argued that the ads violated federal prohibitions against using government funds for political purposes. The coalition expressed satisfaction with the court's swift action to halt the ads, stating there is "no legal justification" for using government resources to influence electoral outcomes.
President Trump announced plans to fund future ads through his political committee, MAGA Inc., but has no intention of reimbursing the government for the initial ad run, CNBC reports. The judge's order will remain in effect for 14 days unless extended, and the case will continue to be monitored as it progresses.